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Meet Tracey! Tracey grew up in New Jersey before moving to Centreville at age twelve—and she’s called Greensboro home for the past 31 years. She and her husband, John, share a deep commitment to service. John is a firefighter in Anne Arundel County and a proud member of the National Guard, currently deployed overseas. Together they’ve raised four wonderful kids: Mikaela, a teacher; Montana, who works for Talbot County; Mckenna, who’s married; and Dakota, preparing for his first deployment. When she’s not cheering on her family, you’ll find Tracey enjoying life on two wheels, catching a good game, getting outdoors for a walk, adding to her tattoo collection, or spending time with the people she loves most. At Positive Strides, Tracey’s favorite part of volunteering is meeting new people and watching riders blossom with confidence as they progress. If she could pick a theme song for her time here, it would be “Happy” by Pharrell Williams—because that’s exactly how she feels watching the riders succeed.
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Our fall riding session is officially underway, and the barn is buzzing with joy and determination. Nearly 40 riders are participating this season, spread across three lesson days each week. We’re thrilled to welcome both brand-new riders discovering the magic of therapeutic riding and familiar faces returning with excitement to continue their journey.The first week has already been full of unforgettable moments. One of our non-verbal riders proudly shouted out “WALK ON” for the very first time—an incredible milestone that brought cheers and tears to everyone present. These moments remind us why our program matters so deeply. The fun doesn’t stop there. Each lesson is packed with activities that bring laughter, learning, and accomplishment, and the barn is filled with big smiles. Our volunteers are right in the heart of it all—encouraging riders, leading horses, and walking alongside to ensure safety and success. Their support transforms each ride into a meaningful experience. With such a large group of riders this session, our need for volunteers is greater than ever. Many of our riders require a horse leader and two sidewalkers for every lesson, which means we rely on the steady commitment of our volunteer family each and every day. We need helping hands on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, as well as some afternoons. If you have a passion for helping others and a love for horses, we invite you to join us. By filling out a Volunteer Application, you’ll become part of a team that makes these extraordinary breakthroughs possible. Together, we can ensure every rider has the chance to shine. Our fall riding session is fast approaching as we say hello to new riders and new volunteers! Our herd, Ben, Clacky, Fred, Pumpkin, Skipper and Mandi are rested ready to go!
To jump in and join us, complete the Rider Application to register your rider (physician forms are right there, and you can pay online). Claim your spot, bring a friend, and let’s launch a season of progress, joy, and horse-powered magic! Fill out . The required Physician forms can be downloaded directly from the application page. We have a new option to pay online! You can find the Volunteer Application on our Volunteer page as well as our Volunteer Handbook. Thanks for cheering on our riders, families, and volunteers—this community is the heart of Positive Strides. Here’s to crisp mornings, brave steps, and the kind of progress that sneaks up as pure joy. See you at the farm! Congress is beginning to make decisions about how much funding each program will get next year, and programs that support and protect people with disabilities are at serious risk.
The President's budget proposal is the starting point of this annual process. It recommends that Congress make cuts to programs that millions of people with disabilities and families rely on. The President recommends that Congress eliminate funding for two vital Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) programs: University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and Projects of National Significance. The President also recommends that Congress reduce funding for two more: Protection & Advocacy agencies and State DD Councils. So very many of our riders currently benefit from these services. Please consider taking a moment to use this user friendly page to let your voice be heard! Nancy just started volunteering at Positive Strides last year! She moved to Greensboro (from Wellesley, MA) in September 2023 and luckily (lucky for us!) “discovered” Positive Strides early in 2024. Nancy grew up in a small urban town in New Jersey named West New York. She says, "I must have explained that name thousands of times". The town is right on the Hudson River directly across from Manhattan. Some of Nancy's favorite past times include tennis, downhill skiing, hiking, biking, kayaking and swimming and these are her favorite sports. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, volunteering and spending time with family and friends. Another of the things Nancy loves to do is travel! We asked, "I know you travel, can you name a place you think is a MUST go?" She answered, "This is a difficult question because the world is filled with so many wonderful places! In the US I suggest the magnificent Utah National Parks, especially Bryce Canyon. Outside the US I recommend Seville, Spain. It’s amazing! When asked about her favorite horse at Positive Strides, she remarked that they are all lovely but she has a soft spot for Pumpkin. If she had a song for Positives Strides, it would be "Beautiful Day" by U2. Asked about volunteering at Positive Strides, she most enjoys the opportunity to work with the exceptional people who run the program, the enthusiastic riders and the hard-working, cheerful volunteers. Thank you, Nancy for all you do!
We had a fantastic turnout for our PonyPower Camp on June 30th, welcoming an enthusiastic group of kids and chaperones from Critchlow Adkins! Campers got hands-on with our horses through a variety of fun and engaging activities—grooming Ben, leading Pumpkin, painting our very patient pal Clacky, "riding" Bucky, learning reining skills and more. PonyPower Camps are all about building social and emotional skills, boosting confidence, getting kids moving, and developing important tools like sequencing, memory, and problem-solving—all while having a blast with our four-legged friends. Participants rotated through small group learning stations, each offering something unique and exciting. Even with the summer heat, this awesome crew brought great energy and made the most of a memorable day at the farm! A huge thank-you to all the incredible volunteers who made this event possible—your time, energy, and dedication are what make these days so special for our campers and horses alike! Today, with the temperature soaring to 97 degrees, we braved the summer heat to host a special horse experience for families from the Judy Center in Easton, MD. Thanks to the dedication of our team and volunteers, the heat didn’t stop the smiles, learning, and connection. Participants learned all about horses — from what they eat to how to care for them, where they live, and the many beautiful colors they come in. Our wonderful herd members were the stars of the day: gentle Pumpkin gave children the chance to practice leading, sweet Ben stood patiently for grooming lessons, and our paint-loving pal Clacky became a living canvas as kids decorated him with colorful, washable paint. Even in the heat, there was room for cool-downs: a kiddie pool gave little ones the chance to splash and play, while our horses stayed hydrated and shaded in the outdoor arena with plenty of fans creating a welcome breeze. Clacky, ever the good sport, had his tongue hanging out by the end, but he seemed to enjoy the attention just as much as the kids did! We’re especially grateful to the dozen volunteers who arrived early, stayed late, and gave their time and energy to make this event a success. Often, you give time you don’t have, and we see and appreciate you. A huge thank-you as well to our Volunteer Coordinator, Meredith Skirka, who not only managed the team but also prepared each learning station and carefully crafted the schedule for the day. And of course, our sincere thanks to the families and staff from the Judy Center for spending this day with us. Your energy, curiosity, and kindness made it a day to remember! We had such an unforgettable time at the Jaime Lee Hutchison Memorial Horse Show on June 14–15, 2025, and we just had to share the moments! Our amazing riders were so proud to show off what they’ve learned and earn their medals. It was a beautiful celebration of progress, passion, and community — surrounded by riders, volunteers, family, and friends. Here’s a link to the images in case you’d like to download pictures of your favorites. Rudy joined the Positive Strides herd in 2017 and quickly became one of our most beloved horses. A 23-year-old Quarter Horse with a rich and colorful past, Rudy spent his earlier years barrel racing and giving trail rides — including leading rides across the historic Gettysburg battlefields. Since arriving, he’s been a standout favorite in our program, touching the hearts of riders, volunteers, and staff alike. Just recently, Rudy was proudly voted Favorite Horse in our community contest — a testament to the impact he’s had here. Fittingly, Rudy’s final event with Positive Strides was our Horse Show this past Sunday — a celebration of everything he’s helped us achieve. While we’ll miss him greatly, we’re overjoyed that he’ll now enjoy a well-earned retirement with his loving owner. Thank you, Rudy, for the joy, strength, and heart you’ve brought to our herd. 💙  What a race it was right out of the chute! Skipper took an early lead, but Pumpkin wasn’t far behind, quickly surging ahead to make it a neck-and-neck battle. Ben gained momentum and started closing in—but then came the surprise of the day! Dark horse Rudy kicked it into high gear down the homestretch, flying past the competition to cross the finish line in first place! AND we raised $446 that will help feed and care for our horses! It couldn’t have been a more perfect ending, as yesterday’s Jaime Lee Hutchison Memorial Horse Show marked Rudy’s final workday at Positive Strides before heading into a well-earned retirement. We celebrated his incredible service in true style, giving him the sendoff he deserves. Stay tuned for a special post dedicated to Rudy in the coming days. He’s been an irreplaceable part of our herd and an absolute joy in our program. Rudy will be deeply missed—our champion, our friend, our Favorite Horse.  |
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October 2025
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Promoting healing, hope and growth through equine assisted services
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